The present invention relates generally to a wall system, and more particularly, to a system for easily mounting wall panels over an existing wall structure.
In order to enhance the look of a wall structure, it is known to secure decorative wall panels to the wall structure. However, the securement of wall panels to the wall structure is generally a long and tedious job since it entails using fastening devices such as nails and/or screws to secure the walls panels directly to the wall structure. In addition, the fastening devices are exposed, which can provide an unsightly appearance.
A system that overcomes some of these problems is sold by Bamco Inc. of 30 Baekeland Ave., Middlesex, N.J. 08846 under the designation AG500 WALL SYSTEM.@ With this system, the wall panels are provided with right angle or bends at their edges. Each planar panel and the right angle bend together form an L-shape. Each bend is secured by screws to a fastening extrusion having the same linear dimension as the wall panel, and the fastening extrusion has a generally rectangular cross-sectional configuration. At each joint area where two panels meet, there are two such fastening extrusions connected together, each secured to a respective wall panel, with an elongated hard silicone gasket between the fastening extrusions. The fastening extrusions are arranged one above the other at each joint area. Thus, the screws are not visible, thereby eliminating the unsightly appearance of previous system.
However, because of the L-shape at the bends at the edges of the wall panels, it is necessary to separately secure each bend to a fastening extrusion by screws, in addition to securing the fastening extrusions to the wall structure by screws, further increasing the work required to assemble the wall panels. Also, because the bends in the wall panels extend only in a direction perpendicular to the wall panels, the only structural support is provided by the screws which secure each bend to a fastening extrusion. As a result, it is possible to loosen and/or pull out the wall panels.
In addition, in order to secure the fastening extrusions to existing wall structures, one of the connected pair of fastening extrusions is provided with an extension which is separately secured to the existing wall structure. This means that the main bodies of the fastening extrusions are spaced away from the existing wall structure, thereby providing a further weak link in the structure, besides making it more difficult to assemble.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,472,521 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,621,084, by the same inventor herein disclose systems for mounting wall panels to an existing wall structure, which includes a plurality of wall panels. There is also a plurality of fastening extrusions. Each fastening extrusion includes a securing section for securing the fastening extrusion to the existing wall structure, and a retaining wall structure at one end of the securing section, the retaining wall structure including a recess which receives one hook wall of the wall panel.
The main panel section has a rectangular configuration with four hook walls, and there are four fastening extrusions, with the recess of the retaining wall of each fastening extrusion receiving one hook wall of the wall panel. Each U-shaped cross-sectional profile defines a recess therein, and each fastening extrusion includes at least one stabilizing wall extending from a free end of a respective retaining wall, with the stabilizing wall being received in one recess of a respective U-shaped cross-sectional profile. Each stabilizing wall has an L-shaped cross-sectional profile. Also, the securing section and the retaining wall structure together define a U-shaped cross-sectional profile.
A first one of the fastening extrusions includes a tongue and a second one of the fastening extrusions includes a groove for receiving the tongue to connect together the first and second fastening extrusions when the first fastening extrusion is assembled with a first wall panel and the second fastening extrusion is assembled with a second wall panel. In a later embodiment, there is only a single fastening extrusion.
There is also at least one channel secured to the securing sections of adjacent fastening extrusions and positioned between adjacent wall panels corresponding thereto. An elongated plug is inserted into each channel for closing off the gap between adjacent wall panels.
This arrangement, however, requires the insertion of screws into the fastening extrusions and the channel while supporting the wall panels, which can be burdensome. It also requires the separate channels and plugs in order to close off the gap between adjacent wall panels to provide an aesthetic appearance between the wall panels. If the gap between adjacent panels is varied, this would also require a plurality of different size plugs, which can further add to the cost of the structure.
A further system has been sold for more than one year by Creative Metal Contractors Inc. of Toms River, N.J., which uses a single fastening extrusion having tongues extending from opposite sides thereof. The single fastening extrusion is secured to the existing wall by screws at a central portion thereof between the tongues. Each wall panel has a main panel section and hook walls at edges of the main panel section, with the main panel section and each hook wall having a U-shaped cross-sectional profile. Fasteners or frame extrusions are secured to the hook walls, with each fastener including walls defining a recess which receives a corresponding tongue of the single fastening extrusion, such that the tongues are spaced away from the hook walls. A compressed joint plug is positioned in overlying relation to the screws and between adjacent hook walls to provide an aesthetic appearance.
However, with this latter arrangement, plugs are also required, with the same consequent disadvantages. It may also be difficult to align the recesses over the tongues of the single fastening extrusion. In addition, the single fastening extrusions are secured to the existing wall by screws only through the center of the fastening extrusions, which can result in failure of such securement. Still further, if the gap between adjacent panels is varied, this would also require a plurality of different size plugs, which can further add to the cost of the structure.
In addition, in the latter arrangement, the gap between adjacent wall panels is sealed with a silicone sealant and a compressed joint plug. As a result, the air pressure behind the wall panels varies relative to the ambient air pressure in front of the panels. However, architectural requirements require the air pressures to be the same or equalized so as not to reduce the longevity of the wall structure of the building.
The invention of U.S. Pat. No. 8,127,507 to the same inventor herein also requires the insertion of screws into the fastening extrusions and the channel while supporting the wall panels, which can be burdensome. It also requires the separate decorated panels in order to close off the gap between adjacent wall panels to provide an aesthetic appearance between the wall panels.
It is also known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,267 to Sukolics, U.S. Pat. No. 4,829,740 to Hutchison and U.S. Pat. No. 5,809,729 to Mitchell, to provide a wall system with L-shaped ends of the panels that include recesses in the bent ends that engage with projections of the extrusions secured by screws to the walls. However, with these patents, there is still a large gap between adjacent bent ends, which is necessary for securing the panels to the extrusions, and which also thereby requires a plug to close this gap.
More importantly, with these latter arrangements, assembly is relatively difficult.
Specifically, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,267 to Sukolics and U.S. Pat. No. 4,829,740 to Hutchison, two bent edges of each wall panel are assembled with two channel members 12′ in a loose manner, which means that they have to be physically held together to prevent escape. Then, the other two bent edges of the wall panel are hung on two other channel members 12 that are already assembled on the wall. Thereafter, the two loose channel members 12′ must be assembled by screws on the wall. This makes the assembly very difficult. See column 2, lines 13-19 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,267 to Sukolics and column 2, lines 52-59 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,829,740 to Hutchison. The process is then repeated for each wall panel.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,809,729 to Mitchell, each bent end of a wall panel has a groove and each securing member has a groove facing the groove of the bent end. After these grooves are aligned, an elongated attachment member is slid into the passage formed between the grooves to lock the wall panels in place.
It is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,292 to Holland et al to provide wall panels have bent end sections that snap into U-shaped anchor sockets. However, L-shaped attachments must be first secured to ends of the wall panels, which makes construction more complicated and costly. Also, the anchor sockets are made from aluminum and are only intended to hold lightweight panels. Thus, this patent could not be used to hold panels of 100 pounds or more. In addition, the anchor socket is arranged in rectangular configurations for snapping the wall panels thereto. However, there is no provision for sliding the wall panels therealong to provide easy adjustment and assembly.
It is also known to provide a snap in arrangement of ceiling tiles from U.S. Pat. No. 6,101,777 to Bodine et al. However, as with Holland et al, this arrangement is not capable of supporting heavy wall panels, and there is no provision for sliding wall panels therealong to provide easy adjustment and assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,536,175 to Conterno provides structural panels for a building or roof which are reinforced in the interior of each panel by ribs, as are the U-shaped jointing elements that hold adjacent bent end sections of the panels together. Clearly, there is no flexibility or resilience of these U-shaped jointing elements or panels, even though they show mating inclined surfaces. The upright walls of the jointing elements are further rigidified by clamping arms that extend from the building structure. It is clear that there is no resilience to the structure which provides the positive engagement, since this structure requires a center pressing element between the bent end sections to force engagement with the upright walls of the jointing element. There is also no indication of any sliding of the wall panels therealong to provide easy adjustment and assembly. Further, once the bent sections are wedged in position in the clamping arms, it is very difficult to remove them because of the force applied by the center pressing element.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,021,915 to Kemp discloses an acoustical ceiling tile assembly. The jointing elements to which the ceiling tiles are connected are not shown or discussed. The tiles include cut out sections at the corners that facilitate connection, although how this occurs is not disclosed. Further, although there are shoulders on the inner surfaces of the bent end sections, these are only used to secure the pan holding the sound absorbing material and are therefore not engageable by any clamping assembly.